Baseball batting practice device



United States Patent 3,118,670 BASEBALL BATTTNG PRACTICE DEVTCE James W. Smith, 2905 Choctaw Drive, Columbus, Miss. Filed Dec. 19, 196i Ser. No. 76,937 2 Claims. (Cl. 27326) This invention relates to baseball training and amusement and more especially to a batting practice device.

Two of the most important factors in successful baseball hitting have been found to be, keeping the eyes on the ball, and keeping the bat level during the swing. Many devices have been provided to improve a players ability in th se respects but none have been so efiective and yet so simple as one constructed in accordance with the present invention. Previous devices of this type, in addition to limitations arising from their complexity, have been limited in that the measuring of the effectiveness of the batters swing consisted of the actuation of a gauging means which simply registered immediately following the swing. Because the gauging means required restricting the simulated baseball from free movement after being struck by the baseball bat a realistic impact giving the feel of striking the ball in regular play was not achieved by such former devices.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved baseball batting practice device which will be very eifective in improving a players hitting ability and yet be of simple construction.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a batting practice device which will rotate freely after being struck for a time determined by the character of the hitters swing.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a batting practice device which when struck will respond similarly to a baseball when struck in regular play.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a batting practice device which will afford amusement for the user thus enhancing its usefulness for training purposes.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a batting practice device which includes a simulated baseball which may be placed in motion during practice thus improving the hitters timing.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a baseball batting practice device which may be used in a simulated baseball game in which bases may be run in response to the effectiveness of the hit of the batter.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away for purposes of illustration, illustratin' a baseball batting practice device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1, at a reduced scale, illustrating a manner of using the device, and

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation, at a reduced scale, illustrating a modified support for the invention.

The drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention in which two simulated baseballs in the form of substantially spherical balanced members, each designated at A, are fixed one adjacent each end of an arm B. The arm B has a mounting C, including a hub which Edidfild Patented Jan. 21, 1964 serves as a bearing, in the medial portion thereof carrying the arm in a bore for free rotation in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the mounting. Each of the spherical members A are preferably constructed integrally of suitable hard resilient material capable of withstanding the impact of a baseball bat in practice. Each spherical member A has a cavity D thus reducing the weight concentrated there to limit the rotational time of the device after being struck by a baseball bat.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it should be noted that the simulated baseballs A are hollow being formed of relatively thin shells 10 and 11. The cavities D are open to form circular edges 12 and 13, respectively, which lie in the same plane. The outer surfaces of the simulated baseballs are not true spheres, as illustrated because of the cavities D, but may be considered to be substantially spherical for descriptive purposes herein. It is important that the substantially spherical members A be balanced and it is preferred that they be slightly smaller than a baseball so as to present an even smaller target than a baseball for practice purposes. The cavities D, as described above are for the purpose of preventing an excessively long period of rotation of the device after being struck.

The arm B is illustrated as being in two parts 14 and 15, respectively. The substantially spherical shell 16 is joined to the part 14 while the spherical shell 11 is carried by the part 15. The parts 14 and 15 are joined in the medial portion of the arm B by a hub 16 which forms part of the mounting C. The hub 16 has a transverse bore 17 therein for carrying the hub for free rotational movement.

The device thus described in detail is preferably formed integrally in a molding process. The parts including the cavities D may be formed in a single cavity mold having a single parting line. The device is formed of a relatively hard resilient material capable of withstanding the impact of a baseball bat in practice. It is also preferable that the material be light so that the shells 1i) and 11 may be of sufficient thickness to provide adequate strength without excessive weight and that the material have a low coefficient of friction to simplify the bearing upon which the device is mounted for free rotation. A plastic of the polyethylene type, specification No. 805 manufactured by Monsanto Chemical Company of St. Louis, Missouri, has been found to have the desirable characteristics.

The hub 16 of the mounting C is carried for free rotation in a plane normal thereto by a shaft 18 which is journaled in the bore 17. The hub 16 is confined on the shaft 18 by a washer 19 carried on a reduced threaded portion 29 of the shaft. The washer 19 is held fixed on the reduced threaded portion 24 by a lock out 21 threaded on the reduced portion. The shaft 13 has an enlarged portion 22 confining the hub 16 thereon on the side remote from the nut 21. The enlarged portion 22 spaces the device sutficiently from a support upon which the device is to be used to allow free rotation thereof avoiding any contact between the simulated baseballs A and the support.

A suitable support 23 in the form of a post, preferably having a sharpened portion 23a embedded in the earth, carries the mounting C by receiving a reduced portion 24 threaded to receive a nut 25 on the side of the support remote from the enlarged portion 22. It is apparent that any other suitable support may be used if desired.

In operation, the batter approaches the device from the left or right side in the same manner in which he approaches home plate (FIGURE 2). The device may remain stationary or may be played in motion as desired. Thus the device is versatile and may be used in a variety of ways depending on the type of practice needed.

A modified form of support is illustrated in FIGURE 3 in which the device is mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane on the post 23. The only change in the 3 mounting structure over that previously described is the use of a tapered threaded shank 24, which is threaded into the top of the post 23, in lieu of the reduced threaded shank 24 fixed in place by the nut 25.

It has been found in actual use that the batting averages of many little leaguers using this device for practice have improved by over 100%. Since the device turns for a period of time dependent upon the effectiveness of the swing of the user the device may be used in many varieties of games in which a batter may I'UH bases so long as the device turns. The amusement characteristics of the device of course make it more desirable for training and improve the results thereof. The fact that the simulated baseballs are hollow, in addition to limiting the rotation of the device, makes the striking thereof sound and feel like the actual striking of a baseball in play.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made Without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A baseball batting practice and amusement device comprising a post having means at its lower end for mounting said post normal to the earths surface,

a shaft secured adjacent the upper end of said post and having a portion extending perpendicularly outwardly therefrom,

a straight elongated arm formed of a hard resilient plastic material,

a hub formed centrally of said arm and including a transverse bore receivingsaid portion of said shaft for mounting said arm for free rotational movement in a plane normal to said shaft,

a pair of hollow substantially spherical balanced members carried at each end of said arm having centers in substantial longitudinal axial alignment with said arm,

said arm having a length sutficient to sequentially present said members at a substantial distance above the uper end of said post when said arm is parallel to said post,

and means between said hub and post for mounting said arm to said post so that the plane of rotation thereof is closely adjacent said post but sufficiently spaced therefrom to prevent said spherical members from striking said post when said arm is parallel to said post.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said balanced members include flattened portions along the surfaces of said spherical members defining planes parallel to said plane of rotation and being between said post and said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 983,315 Rubens Feb. 7, 1911 1,973,207 Hellum et al Sept. 11, 1934 2,017,661 Johanson Oct. 15, 1935 2,633,320 Salmi Mar. 31, 1953 

1. A BASEBALL BATTING PRACTICE AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING A POST HAVING MEANS AT ITS LOWER END FOR MOUNTING SAID POST NORMAL TO THE EARTH''S SURFACE, A SHAFT SECURED ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID POST AND HAVING A PORTION EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, A STRAIGHT ELONGATED ARM FORMED OF A HARD RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL, A HUB FORMED CENTRALLY OF SAID ARM AND INCLUDING A TRANSVERSE BORE RECEIVING SAID PORTION OF SAID SHAFT FOR MOUNTING SAID ARM FOR FREE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID SHAFT, A PAIR OF HOLLOW SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICAL BALANCED MEMBERS CARRIED AT EACH END OF SAID ARM HAVING CENTERS IN SUBSTANTIAL LONGITUDINAL AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ARM, SAID ARM HAVING A LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO SEQUENTIALLY PRESENT SAID MEMBERS AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE ABOVE THE UPER END OF SAID POST WHEN SAID ARM IS PARALLEL TO SAID POST, AND MEANS BETWEEN SAID HUB AND POST FOR MOUNTING SAID ARM TO SAID POST SO THAT THE PLANE OF ROTATION THEREOF IS CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID POST BUT SUFFICIENTLY SPACED THEREFROM TO PREVENT SAID SPHERICAL MEMBERS FROM STRIKING SAID POST WHEN SAID ARM IS PARALLEL TO SAID POST. 